Real Estate Appraisal & Consulting – 253.272.5370

The Uvalu Blog

Federal Way Property Tax Appeal Appraiser

How to Appeal a Property Tax Evaluation

Fox Business News Article: As property tax bills start arriving in mailboxes, many homeowners might be surprised to find their assessed evaluation is higher than they anticipated. According to the National Taxpayers Union, between 30 and 60% of taxable property in the U.S. is over-assessed. What’s more, middle- and lower-income taxpayers’ properties are among the most often over-assessed, yet fewer than 5% of taxpayers challenge their assessments…

For homeowners considering making an appeal, here’s how to do it: Read more

Applications for mortgage refinancing made up only 58 percent of all mortgage applications during the week ended February 21, down 3 percentage points from the previous week and the lowest market share since last September. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) its Refinancing Index was 11 percent lower than the week ended February 14 and almost all other application volume markets fell as well. Read more

The FHA is insolvent … but that is nothing new. And why again, is that OK with everyone? This article is a clear indication that while the housing market does appear to be improving – it is a far cry from being safe and secure.

“This month, the FHA’s private GAAP-estimated net worth deteriorated by $400 million. The estimate for January of the FHA’s GAAP net worth is –$26.10 billion, down from –$25.70 billion in December 2013 (revised), up from –$28.40 billion in January 2013, and up from –$26.91 billion in January 2012. It is noteworthy that the FHA has shown virtually no improvement in its GAAP net worth since January 2012. Read more

“Five years later, the United States financial sector is in much better condition. Banks have absorbed losses from loans made during the bubble and rebuilt their capital, and investor confidence has returned. Mr. Geithner’s proposals did not all work right away or in the scale initially envisioned. In the end, however, Secretary Geithner deserves credit for making good on what he promised.” Read more

Well, what really matters is whether your house is affordable to your income!

That said, this Wall Street Journal article presents the facts from a historical perspective stating that “Rising home prices and interest rates made housing less affordable last year than at any time in the last five years, Read more